by Denitsa Marchevska

In her article, author Denitsa Marchevska examines how non-governmental organisations can achieve policy advisory success in settings where such influence would typically be considered unlikely. The article addresses a central puzzle: while non-governmental organisations are often seen as disadvantaged within policy advisory systems, they are nevertheless able, in some cases, to play a substantive role in policy formulation. 

The article situates this puzzle within scholarship on policy advisory systems, interest group influence, and collaborative governance. Across these literatures, non-governmental organisations are commonly understood to face structural constraints, including more limited access to decision-makers, fewer resources, and weaker institutional positioning. These constraints are expected to be particularly pronounced in more closed or less participatory policy-making environments. 

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